


Up the What?

by Whisper132



Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-01-10
Updated: 2009-01-10
Packaged: 2017-10-23 14:47:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/251513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whisper132/pseuds/Whisper132
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Atobe is exposed to Jirou's latest anime fixation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Up the What?

Jirou was adorable, but clearly out of his mind. Instead of a classy evening of theater and an equally as classy meal afterward, he wanted to do _this._

"Hurry up! I want to start!" Jirou tugged at Atobe's arm, leading him toward the couch in the Entertainment Chamber of Atobe's house. The Entertainment Chamber had been constructed for Atobe's last birthday so that he could invite friends over and enjoy films on a projected screen from the comfort of his favorite leather couch. Thus far Jirou was the only one allowed in the room because Atobe didn't trust anyone else not to stain his couch and, while Jirou couldn't particularly be trusted not to spill his beverages, Atobe had…difficulties denying Jirou things. Those difficulties would end today, though.

"Jirou, let's watch Lord of the Rings." It was their standby movie, the only one they could agree on.

"It's my birthday party. I want to watch this." Clutched to Jirou's chest was a large anime DVD boxset. The set was Oshitari's feeble attempt to get back at Atobe for buying Mukahi the surveillance equipment last year. There would be retribution at next week's practice.

Anyone else Atobe would have told to take this farcical idea of "fun" and shove it. To Jirou he said, "Just put it in."

  
******

  
When Jirou began the series, he failed to inform Atobe that there were four seasons, all of which Jirou owned and intended to watch while snuggled against Atobe's side and drinking hot cider. Jirou also failed to mention that each season was fifty episodes long. They were going to be there all week, watching a show that, two episodes in, Atobe was…not hating, but not at all enjoying or understanding.

"The strap across his chest serves no purpose," Atobe said, pointing to the screen. "And why does her outfit only have one pant leg?"

"It's magical," Jirou said. "It doesn't have to make sense. The strap might have some kind of secret purpose. There's another season starting next month, so maybe they'll explain it." He hit Atobe in the arm. "Shut up and watch. It's almost time to reveal Zeshin's attack."

Atobe didn't bother telling Jirou that he could care less about some magical attack that was likely going to have some ludicrous and nonsensical name.

Jirou stood up on the couch. "Magical Flash Flash!"

The attack name was lamer than Atobe had anticipated, but Jirou looked cute doing the pose so he forgave the show and continued to half-listen while enjoying Jirou's excitement.

"Hey Atobe! Let's do this for your Halloween party next year. You can be Hiroyuki and I'll be Zeshin."

Atobe looked at the screen. The individual Jirou was asking him to portray was wearing a bright yellow unitard and a sash. This was also the individual, Atobe was certain, that was destined to be the token homo on the show.

The trick with denying Jirou things was phrasing it so that it sounded like Atobe was being generous. So far the method had never actually worked, but Atobe was certain that, with time, he would perfect his technique and his theory would prove true. "Jirou," he said, "I am not wearing that. Let's watch more."

Jirou's eyes brightened. "Okay! You can be Shinsuke, then."

"Who?" Atobe's stomach dropped at the grin that slid across Jirou's lips.

"You'll like him. Just watch!"

Atobe doubted he would like anything about this show, but he continued to sit and watch. It was, after all, Jirou's birthday present.

*****

  
"I see," Atobe said, taking in the mysterious and somewhat snarky figure in the lab coat. "So this is Shinsuke. I approve."

"Good. Remember, you promised. No takebacks."

Why he would want to take back a promise to be the best dressed character on the show, Atobe was uncertain. And, despite his earlier disgruntlement, he was beginning to enjoy the show. He wasn't going to rush out to stores and buy any merchandise, but he might purchase the DVD sets for himself and watch them in the safety of his room. He wouldn't tell the team about it, though. That would be embarrassing.

"No takebacks," Jirou said again.

"No takebacks," Atobe agreed. Jirou's insistence was cute. Somewhat disturbing, but cute.

  
*****

"I did not agree to midriff tops." Six episodes after Atobe had sworn to portray a lab coat wearing villain, the villain in question turned out to be a midriff top wearing crazyass.

"You promised," Jirou said. "You can't take it back. I'm gonna be Zeshin and you're gonna be Shinsuke."

Atobe looked again to the image frozen on his television screen. Midriff top, hotpants, thigh high boots, and ridiculous silver coil accents. "Impossible. I won't do it."

Jirou took a deep breath then got up off the couch. He retrieved his DVD from the player and gathered his box sets. "I hate you," he told Atobe in a calm voice before walking out.

  
*****

That Atobe was listening to advice from _Shishido_ said a good deal about his pathetic desperation. Still, Shishido was, somehow, the only one on the team in a relationship that didn't break up every other week.

"Hey Atobe, nice outfit."

Atobe narrowed his eyes at Mukahi. "Silence," he commanded.

"Not unless you do the pose, too," Gakuto said, sticking his tongue out.

He was not going to do the pose. He was also not going to stick around Jirou's offical birthday party long if Jirou didn't hurry up and make an appearance. Fashionably late was well and good, but staying in your room while your loving partner was embarrassing himself and freezing his ass off in vinyl hotpants was unacceptable.

"It's very nice of you, Atobe-buchou." Ohtori approached Atobe with a smile and a lab coat. "It's a little cold in here, though. Maybe you should wear this until he comes down. I didn't have any lab goggles, but Shishido-san says it's okay to wear it without them." Ohtori wore the long suffering smile of someone who had been forced to watch _that show_ and deal with its hideous fans. Ohtori was, Atobe decided, a worthy human being.

"Thank you," Atobe said, accepting the offered lab coat and quickly putting it on. "I only hope this nonsense will end."

"Be careful of season four. There are evil robots. And don't let him trick you into reading any of the fanfiction or reading any doujinshi." Ohtori shuddered.

"Understood." With his lab coat for protection, Atobe sought out Jirou.

*****

Jirou was laughing at him, which was understandable. If Atobe weren't the one in the vinyl, he would be laughing too. Enough was enough, though. "Hurry up. I'm cold."

"Just a few more poses. Pretend like you've just won a video game." Wrapped snuggly in the lab coat, Jirou raised his cell phone.

Atobe obliged and posed. He wasn't sure it was a video game victory pose – with Jirou as a companion, Atobe didn't win many video games – but he tried his best to recall poses he'd seen others do. "Are we done?"

"One more!" Jirou leapt forward and flung his arms around Atobe's neck. He snapped a photo. "This was an _awesome_ present! Let's finish watching the show! We only got through half of season one!" Grabbing Atobe by the wrist, Jirou moved toward the small television in his room.

"Jirou, the party."

"Huh? Oh, that. Nevermind. This is better." Jirou patted the space beside him on the bed. "Where were we?"

Atobe wrestled Jirou for the lab coat before answering, "Hiroyuki just stopped being evil."

"Oh yeah, he and Zeshin had that scene and now they're together again." Jirou's eyes brightened. "I love that episode."

"They are not 'together.' You're making it up."

"It's subtextual."

"It's ridiculous. Just play the episode." His lab coat to hide the shame of his outfit, Atobe sighed as Jirou snuggled in for an evening of anime. Despite it all, the show wasn't…that bad.


End file.
